


The Pieces You've Picked Up

by siriusmistake



Category: Zombies Run!
Genre: Gen, Other
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-11-01
Updated: 2015-10-28
Packaged: 2018-04-25 16:33:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 1,428
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4968214
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/siriusmistake/pseuds/siriusmistake
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>I'll be practicing writing throughout November and beyond, using a few prompt posts that I found lying around. The results will go here. They'll probably mostly be fluffy 5am ficlets, but we'll see what happens.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: "slow dancing"

_Where did you learn to dance like this?_ Five signed before returning their hands to their positions, one settled in Sam's gentle grasp and the other resting on his shoulder. The pair turned together in small, slow circles in the middle of the darkening comms shack, careful of the tangle of cords and assorted equipment around them, while soft music played on the stereo that Jack had installed in the corner.

"Yeah, uh... Alice taught me," he responded, then quickly brought their hands up between them for a spin. Five twirled away from their dance partner, and when they returned to face him, his shy smile was back in place as if it had never wavered.

"Okay, your turn," he countered. "How did you learn?" Five let go of his hand again, and Sam brought it down to cup their waist. Their hips swayed in time, their feet barely leaving the floor, and they were so close that Five's raised forearms brushed against Sam's chest.

 _I didn't,_ Five signed with a grin. _But it doesn't matter when I have such a good lead._ They beamed at the bright light of bashful joy that spread across Sam's face, and once their hand was in his again, he surprised them by stepping into a dip. They hung there for a moment, trusting Sam's hold on them and feeling their breath catch as they gazed into his kind, dark eyes, and then he tugged them back upright, and they continued to dance, foreheads touching over a shared smile in the shadow of dusk.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: "holding hands"  
> Spoilers through s1m21, content warning for depiction of an anxiety attack

They gather in Janine's farmhouse - the team of runners, the communications operators, the soldiers that guard the walls, and other community leaders responsible for the security of Abel Township - to discuss their plans for defending against the imminent New Canton raid. The sun has long since sunk beneath the horizon, and the room is illuminated by only a single battery-powered lantern set on the center of the table they crowd around. Shadows stand out on faces, throwing their expressions into sharp relief - some hold fear (Jody's eyes are wide, but her jaw is set), others anger (Janine's eyes flash and her lips are pursed even narrower than usual), but most show grim determination to confront the threat.

Sam is perched on a tall, rickety stool, surrounded by his runners. Across the room from him is a whole group of residents that he barely knows. Runner Five, who stands behind him, probably hasn't been introduced to any of them, but they all have to trust one another in order to overcome this dire situation.

Runner Seven finishes detailing his strategy for a variation on the standard decoy routine. In this case, the target of their distraction tactics is their fellow humans, and their secret weapon is Lem's headset - they will be using their enemy's communications against them. The topic then moves to what measures will be taken if the assault breaches the perimeter.

Sam can't help but shudder as Janine matter-of-factly addresses their impending doom. He imagines New Canton soldiers getting past the gates - the possibility of ZOMS following them into the township - and he would just be sitting in the comms shack, helpless to protect anyone, helpless to protect HIMSELF... His thoughts spin out of control, and his heart begins to pound wildly in his chest. He tries to inhale deeply, hoping to slow his racing pulse, but his breath is already coming out shallow and strained. He tenses, gritting his teeth and clenching his fists, losing track of the conversation entirely as he prays no one around him can tell how hard he's struggling to hold himself together.

He jumps when he feels cool fingers at his wrist, but then calms as they slide down to gently pry open his fist, lacing their fingers together in a firm grasp. He turns and looks up at Runner Five, who doesn't return his gaze - their eyes are raised, their solemn attention focused on the briefing. There is something about the look of level dedication in their eyes that Sam finds comforting; he knows that Five will do everything they can to keep the people inside the fence safe and sound. Reminded that his friends will be depending on him, he resolves to be brave for their sake as they risk their lives in the field.

He quietly hops down from the stool and steps back until he can lean against Five's side and lay his head on their shoulder, taking slow, deep breaths as their solid presence helps to anchor him. They rest their cheek against his forehead, and with their clasped hands between them, the two support one another in the face of danger.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here, have another [relevant Ingrid Michaelson song](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ho00UwOezfA).


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: "finding the other wearing their clothes"

Sam flipped the off switches on the microphone, scanner, and all camera feeds except for the essential ones around the perimeter. The last mission of the day had ended, the last of his runners returned to the safety of Abel Township's walls; the fun, if stressful, part of his job was over. He dropped his headset onto the desktop and spun around in his chair, the sleeves of the hoodie he'd removed and draped over the back flapping with the motion. Getting up, he crossed the small space and opened the metal cabinet where he kept his files - the mission logs, map updates, runner status reports, roster and schedule. After staring at the jumbled mess for a moment, he shut it again. The last thing he wanted to do was wade through piles of paper; that was the BORING part of his job. But he knew Janine would be furious with him if he let it go again. He looked thoughtfully at the still slowly turning chair while he deliberated, then decided that what he needed most was a break for a bit of fresh air before he got started. Grabbing his water bottle off the desk, he turned and left the comms shack.

He blinked as he stepped out into the brilliant daylight. The sun beat down from a cloudless blue sky, and only the ocassional breeze stirred the air. For the first time in weeks, it was possible to comfortably venture outside in short sleeves. Birds twittered in the treetops and the township bustled in the background as he made his way across the quad to the water pump.

He was replacing the cap on the bottle, trying not to think of the mountain of paperwork that awaited him, when he heard the familiar snap of a door opening and closing in the distance. It sounded suspiciously like the one in the corrugated iron hut that he had left empty. He hurried toward the source of the noise. If Janine had gone in to try and clean again...

He reached the top of the stairs and pushed through the door, immediately spotting the expected difference. Someone was slouched in his chair with their back to the door, wearing his discarded sweatshirt with the hood pulled up to conceal their face. Setting his water bottle down, he smiled as he neared the stranger's side, suspecting who they could be. Reaching out to grab the hood, he pulled it down, and sure enough, Runner Five was the culprit. They grinned up at him sheepishly, their short damp hair sticking out at odd angles and the fresh clean scent of soap lingering in the air around them. They shivered slightly in the shade of the comms shack; they'd clearly just gotten back from their post-mission shower, and now that it was almost summer, unheated water was once again the standard.

 _I was cold_ , they signed in response to his raised eyebrow before tucking their hands back under their arms. Sam's heart flipped at the sight of their failed attempted at a disgruntled scowl. He leaned toward them, hesitating until they tilted their face up in anticipation, then brought their matching smiles together in a soft kiss.

"How about now?" he asked. Five paused, their eyes locked on his, before their expression morphed into a mischievous crooked grin and they nodded. "Still cold?" Sam shook his head and laughed. Taking the eager look in Five's eyes as his cue, he moved his other hand from the arm of the chair to their side, feeling their waist through the thick fabric of the borrowed clothing. He slowly trailed a string of kisses along their jaw to their ear, all thoughts of his administrative duties vanishing as he whispered, "Let's see what we can do about that," eliciting a quiver of pleasure from the runner wearing his sweatshirt.


End file.
